What are you trying to solve?

According to Get Backed, the problem slide of a pitch deck should describe the problem you are solving and how and why that problem is painful. Your audience should feel as if an injustice has been done. In a meeting, you'll know if your problem hits home when the investors begin nodding their heads in agreement. [1]

Describe the problem at a high level first and then quickly transition to a specific story of a customer to make the problem feel personal. People don't empathize with big, general problems; they empathize with the struggles of specific people with names and faces.

Not all companies solve new problems; some focus on solving age-old problems in a way that changes customer preferences. This is especially true in apparel, restaurants, and many consumer product goods. If you have one of these ventures, you should focus on the opportunity before you (the previous slide) rather than the problem you are trying to solve.

Demonstrate

• A big problem in a big market. Provide a very large and specific number of people who feel the pain of this problem every day.

• Deep understanding. Confidently and empathetically display how well you understand the complex market dynamics surrounding the problem.

• A specific person. Consider presenting the problem by telling a short story of a real person and how he experiences the problem.

Answer

• What is the problem?

• How big is the problem?

• Why does the problem exist?

• How is the problem currently being addressed?

References

1. Get Backed, by Evan Baehr and Evan Loomis

Creators

• #citizensofone (See: Citizens of One)

Tags

• #get-backed (See: Get Backed)

• #index (See: #index)